Democrats in Virginia secured passage of a highly contested congressional redistricting plan on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the party’s longstanding opposition to partisan gerrymandering. The new map, widely regarded as one of the country’s most aggressively drawn by Democrats, could potentially flip up to four Republican-held seats in the state’s 11-member delegation.

The legislative effort represents a broader change in Democratic strategy amid mounting pressure to regain control of Congress and counter former President Donald Trump’s political influence. Party leaders argued that the map was a necessary response to similar aggressive redistricting efforts by Republicans in states such as Texas.

“While many expected Democrats to roll over and play dead, we did the opposite,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York in a statement following the Associated Press call of the race. “Democrats did not step back. We fought back. When they go low, we hit back hard.” This stance underscores a more combative posture from Democrats who, until recently, criticized partisan tactics like gerrymandering.

The Virginia redistricting plan substantially alters the balance of the state’s congressional delegation, shifting it from a nearly even split to a configuration with only one reliably Republican district. Proponents of the plan acknowledge it is far from ideal but frame it as a strategic countermeasure to the Republican-initiated redistricting battles that have reshaped congressional maps across the country.

This shift to a tougher approach encompasses more than just redistricting. Democrats have also shown increased reliance on dark money in campaigns, despite previously expressing reservations about such funding sources. On Capitol Hill, the party has taken an uncompromising stance on budget negotiations, a position that led to a partial government shutdown earlier this year after they insisted on imposing new restrictions on immigration enforcement tactics before agreeing to fund related operations.

The changes within the Democratic Party are driven in part by grassroots demands for stronger opposition to Republican policies and the Trump agenda. As a result, the party appears willing to embrace strategies it once denounced as undermining good governance, signaling a new era of political hardball aimed at regaining influence in Washington.